Fluid-pressure brake.



No. 638,025. Patented Nov. 28, I899. H. 0. MULLER.

FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE.

(Application filed May 14, 1898.

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR BY M77 Mwm,

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N0. 638,025. Patented NoVQZS, I899.

H. 0. MULLER.

FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE.

7 (Application filed. May 14, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Shanty-Sheet 2.

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NITED STATES PATENT HARRY o. MULLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO JOHN E. REYBURN, F SAME PLAoE.

FLUID-PRESSURE BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,025, dated November28, 1899.

Application filed May 14, 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LHARRY O. MULLER,a citizen of the United States,residingin the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fluid-Pressure Brakes,which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification andaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates toimprovements in fluid-pressure brakes; anditconsists of means whereby the rotary motion of a car-axle is utilized tooperate a pump which supplies compressed air to be used for applying thebrakes and also filling a reservoir with compressed air to be used inapplying the brakes.

It also consists of means for automatically stopping or throwing out ofaction the pump which supplies the reservoir with air when the same hasattained a predetermined pres sure within the reservoir.

It further consists of means whereby the compressed air within thereservoir may be directed to the brake-cylinder, so as to effect theapplication of the brakes, and also of means for releasing said brakes.

It further consists of a valve of novel conbe taken direct to thebrake-cylinder if 'the air within the reservoir is not up within acertain number of pounds of the required braking pressure.

It further consists of novel details of construction, all as will behereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of a fluidpressure brake embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of certain of the partsseen in Fig. 1' and a portion of a car to which the same is applicable.Fig. 3 represents a partial side elevation and partial vertical section,on an enlarged scale, of the mechanism for operating the pump thatsupplies the storage-tank with air, the section being taken on line 00m, Fig. 4. Fig. 41'epresents a plan View of certain of the parts seen inFig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of a valve-casing with aplurality of valves therein, the section being taken on line y y, Fig.6. Fig. (3 represents a plan view of certain of the parts seen in Fig.5. Fig. 7 rep Serial No. 680,671. (No model.)

resents a side elevation of a valve employed, the same being on areduced scale. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 represent horizontal sectional viewsof the valve seen in Fig. 7, the sections being taken on line 2 .2, Fig.7, and said figures being on-an enlarged scale, illustrating thedifferent positions of the plug in said valve.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a tank or reservoir for air,said tank being secured in any suitable manner to the housing 2 of thefriction-wheels 3 and 4, as best seen in Fig. 3, it being noted that inFig. 1 the reservoir 1 is placed to one side of the housing2 for thepurpose of more clearly illustrating certain portions of the inventionwhich would otherwise be hidden were said reservoir placed directlyabove said housing 2, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, it being understood,however, that in practice the reservoir 1 is preferably located directlyover the housing 2, while, if desired, said reservoir may be secured 'tothe body of acar. The housing 2 has secured thereto the cylinders 5 and6, within which are the pistons 7 and 8, respectively, said cylindersand pistons serving as a pump or compressor for forcing air into thetank or reservoir 1. The piston 7 has its rod 9 secured to a slidingblock 10, which latter is guided in the ways 11 on one side of thehousing 2. The sliding block 10 has journaled therein one end of apitman 12, whose a crank-arm 14, secured to the shaft 15 of thefriction-wheel 3, so that when the latter is rotated by meanshereinafter described the same will impart a reciprocating motion to thepiston 7, as is evident. The rod 16 of the piston 8 is secured to asliding block 17, guided in the ways 18 on one side of the housing 2.The block 17 has journaled therein one end of a pit'man 19, whoseopposite end is fitted to the wrist-pin 20 of a crank-arm 21, whichlatter is secured to the shaft 15 of the friction-wheel 3, it beingapparent that the rotary motion of said wheel 3 will impart areciprocating motion to the piston 8, as is evident.

It is to be noted that the crank-arms 14 and 21 are so placed on theshaft 15 that they opposite end is fitted to the wrist-pin 13, of

form an angle of substantially ninety degrees relatively to each otherand for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The shaft is journaled in boxes 22, adapted to slide in a verticaldirection in ways 23 on the housing 2, it being noted that the shaft 15passes through a slot 24 in both side walls of the housing 2 to permitsaid shaft 15 to be raised and lowered, for a purpose hereinafterreferred to.

Pivoted in the side walls of the housing 2, as at 26, are levers 27, oneextremity of each of said levers being connected in any suitable mannerto its respective box 22, while the opposite extremity of each of saidlevers is coupled to one end of their respective links 28, it beingnoted that said links 28 are coupled to a cross-rod 29, which latter isconnected to.the rod 30 of a piston 31, which is adapted to reciprocatein a vertical direction within the cylinder 32.

The ways 23 are located to cause the boxes 22 to move in a path that istangential to the friction-wheel 4 to bring the friction-wheels 3 and 4together in tangential relation, or, in other words, to cause thefriction-wheel 3 to move in a path that is otherwise than coincidentwith a radius of the friction-wheel 4. This imparts what might be termedawedge or shear contact between these frictionwheels, whereby thefrictional contact is .much in excess of that which would be at-' tainedby moving the friction-wheel 3 radially relative to said friction-wheel4.

A communication is established between the interior of the cylinder 32and the valveohambers 33 and 34 through the passages or ports 35 and 36,respectively, as seen in Fig. 3, the function of said passages and valvechambers being hereinafter described and it being noted that thechambers 33 and 34 are provided with the valves 37 and 38, respectively,the construction of which will be apparent.

The interior of the cylinders 5 and 6 (see Fig. 4) communicates with achamber 39 through their ports or passages 41 and 40, respectively, soas to permit the air in said cylinders to pass therefrom and enter thechamber 39, it being noted that said chamber 39 is provided with a valve42, which alternately opens and closes the ports or passages and 41, soas to cause the air in said cylinders 5 and 6 to enter the pipe 43,which leads therefrom to a chamber 44 in the valve-casing 45. (See Fig.5.) The chamber 44 is in communication with the chambers 45 and 46, itbeing noted that the port 47, which forms a passage between saidchambers 44 and 45*, is formed with a valve-seat 48 for the valve 49 andthat the upper portion of the chamber 46 is likewise formed with avalve-seat 50 for a valve 51, said valve 49 being secured to a stem 52,as seen in Fig. 5. The stem 52 has secured thereto a head 53, which isadapted tobe raised and lowered by the varying pressure of the air inthe chamber 45 said head 53 being guided in the space 54 in the upperportion of the valve-casing 45.

It is to be noted that the valve 51 when in its normal position isclosed, due to the action of a spring 55, one end of which bears againstthe head 53, the other end thereof abutting against a screw 56, theobject of which is to adjust the pressure of the spring 55 relatively tothe air-pressure required for seating and unseating the valve 49. Thelower extremity of the stem 52 bears against the upper face of the valve51 and causes the latter to remain on its seat, thus closing thecommunication between the chambers 44 and 46 when the valve 49 is in theposition seen in Fig. 5. When the valve 49 is caused to close the port47, as will be hereinafter described, the pressure of the stem 52against the valve 51 will be removed, so that said valve 51 will belifted from its seat 50 by the action of a spring 57, which in expandingraises a plunger 58, whose stem 59 bears against the under side of saidvalve 51, thereby establishing a communication between the chambers 44and 46, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The chamber 58 in which the plunger 58 moves, is open at its lower endto the atmosphere, while there is sufficient room between the plungerand the chamber to permit the passage of air. At the upper end ofthechamber 58 is an outwardly-facing valve-seat 57, against which a valve59 at the upper end of the plunger seats and cuts ofi the communicationbetween chamber 46 and the atmosphere when said plunger is elevated bythe spring 57. It is seen, therefore, that when the valve 49 is open andvalve 51 closed the plunger 58 is depressed to unseat valve 59 andestablish communication between chamber 46 and the atmosphere.

The chamber 45 communicates with a chamber 60 through a port or passage61, which is normally closed by a valve 62, held against its seat 63 bya spring 64. The chamber 4-5 also communicates with the chamber 60through a port 62 which is normally closed by a valve 64 it being notedthat the chambers 45 and 60 are provided with outlets 65 and 66,respectively.

The chamber 44 has connected thereto one end of the pipe 43, so that theair from the cylinders 5 and 6 will be forced from the same into saidchamber and from the latter, through the port 47, into the chamber 45and from thence, through a pipe 67, into the inlet 68 of the four-waybrake-valves 69. (See more particularly Figs. 1 and 2.)

The chamber 60 is in communication with the tank 1 through a pipe 70.

The chamber 46 has a pipe 71 leading therefrom to the inlet-port 72 ofthe brakevalves 69.

The outlet-ports 73 of the brake-valves 69 have a pipe.74 leadingtherefrom to the chamber 33. (Seen in Fig. 3.)

The ports 75 have a pipe 76 leading therefrom to a brake-cylinder 77, asseen in Figs.

1 and 2, it being noted that said cylinder 77 has a piston 78 therein,which is connected to a rod 79, which operates the brake-lever andcauses the same to apply the brake-shoes 81 to the wheels 82 of a car83, asbest seen in Fig. 1.

The valve-plug 87 of the valve 69 has a central port 76 leading throughthe lower end thereof to the atmosphere and through a lateral port toconnect with the ports 73 and 75 of the valve-casing.

The brake-shoes 81 and cross-bars or brakebeams 84 and 85, as also therod 86, which connects the cross-bar to the brake-lever 80, are omittedin Fig. 2 with a View to more clearly illustrate such portions of thedevice as are shown in said Fig. 2.

It will be apparent that the casing 2 and its adjuncts can be maintainedin the proper relative position to the car-axle 4 by any suitable meansand that various devices may be employed to this end. In the presentinstance, however, I in practice prefer to connect thecompressor-cylinders 5 and 6with the adjacent brake'beam 84, as seen inFig. 1, by suitable connections 85 which I have not deemed necessary todescribe in detail, as the same form per se no part of the presentinvention, as the exact manner of retaining the casing and its adjunctsin the desired position must necessarily be changed in adapting myinvention to car-trucks of different constructions.

The operation is as follows: To illustrate the operation of the device,it is supposed that the valve 69 is in the position shown in Fig.

8that is to say, with the train-pipe 67 closed, the brake-pipe 76 opento the atmosphere, and the chamber 33 open to the atmosphere through thepipes 74 and 71 and chambers 46 and 58 It is understood that in thisposition the pump will be working and forcing air into the chamber 44and thence into chamber 45 through the port 61 and into the tank. Assoon as the pressure within the tank becomes normal or the predeterminedpressure is secured the valve 62 closes, and the pressure then withinthe chamber 45 overcomes the tension of spring 55 and raises the piston53. This closes the Valve 49,while the spring 57 elevates the plunger58, and thereby opens valve 51 and closes valve 59 This conducts the airfrom the pump through .the chambers 46 and pipes71 and 74 to the chamber33 and acting on the valve 37 depresses the same and through its stem37? depresses the valves 37 and 38, the former opening the port 40 andthe latter closing the end of the pipe 38 communicating with the tank.The air in the chamber 32 below if necessary.

In case of leakage the pressure in chamber45" would decrease, and thenthe spring 55 will open valve 49, close valve 51, and open valve 59 Theopening of the latter valve establishes the communication between thechamber 33, through pipes 74 and 71 and chambers 46 and 58 with theatmosphere, so that the pressure within the tank will raise the valve 38to allow the air from the tank to enter the chamber 32 below the piston31, the port 40 being closed, whereby the piston 31 is raised and thepump thrown into gear, it being understood that as soon as thepredetermined pressure is secured the parts automatically resume theirformer position. To apply the brakes, the valve-plug 87is turned to theposition shown in Fig. 10, which connects the train-pipe 67 andbrake-pipe 76, so that the air-pressure can apply the brake. It alsoestablishes communication between pipe 74 and the atmosphere and closespipe 71, leading from the chamber 46. As soon as the trainpipe isconnected with the brake-pipe the pressure within the chamber 45 falls,which opens the valve 49 and closes valve 51, while the communication ofpipe 74 with the atmosphere starts the pump working, as will beunderstood. The train-pipe can take its pressure from the tank or directfrom the compressor, or both, it being understood that the air from thetank can pass to the train-pipe through the valve 64 After the brakesare thus applied the valve is then turned to the position shown in Fig.9, which closes both the train-pipe 57 and brake-pipe 76 and still keepsthe pipe 71 closed, while maintaining the pipe 74 in communication withthe atmosphere. This'keeps the brake supplied, while the pump continuesto work to reestablish the pressure within the tank and cylinder 45 Whenthe brakes are to be released, the valve is turned again to the positionshown in Fig. 8, by which the parts are restored to their normalposition ,as described.

It has been noted that the friction-wheels are moved into and out ofengagement positively by fluid-pressurethat is to say, they are throwninto operative engagement by pressure from the tank upon the bottom ofthe piston 31 and disconnected by direct pressure from the air-pumpthrough chambers 44 46 and pipes 71 and 74, said piston thus alwayshaving fluid-pressure on both sides thereof.

It will be evident that when two valves 69 are employed on one car-oneon the front and the other on the back platformit will be necessarytothrow one of said valves out of action, which may be done byrotatingthe plug 87, so that the same shall occupy the position seen in Fig. 9,it being noted that the ports 68, 72, and 75 are closed, so that nocommunication exists between the ports 72 and 73. Neither does acommunication exist between the ports 68 and 75.

IIO

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fluid-pressure brake, a compressor geared to the running-gear ofa car, said gearing comprising a clutch, a reservoir communicating withsaid compressor, means for moving a member of said clutch into operativeposition by fluid-pressure derived from said reservoir, and means formoving said clutch into inoperative position by means of fluid-pres surederived direct from said compressor.

2. In a fluid-pressure brake, a compressor geared to the running-gear ofa car, said gearing comprising a clutch, a reservoir comm unicating withsaid compressor, means for moving a member of said clutch into operativeposition by pressure derived from said reservoir, and means for movingsaid clutch into inoperative position by pressure derived direct fromsaid compressor, the operation of said means being controlled by reasonof variations of pressure in said reservoir.

3. In a fluid-pressure brake the combination with a reservoir, of afriction-wheel geared to the running-gear of the car, a friction-wheelmovable toward and away from the same, connections common to saidreservoir and said movable friction-wheel for positively moving thelatter toward and away from the first-mentioned friction-wheel by meansof pressure derived from said reservoir and according to the variationsof pressure therein.-

4. In a fluid-pressure brake, an air-compressor and regulator therefor,a reservoir communicating with said air-compressor and with saidregulator, a valve-casing having a port communicating with saidair-compressor and with said reservoir, a port communicating with thetrain-pipe, a port communicating with the regulator, and a valve forcontrolling said ports and for establishing communication between thetrain-pipe port and the regulator-port and the atmosphere.

5. In a fluid-pressure brake, the combination of a grooved wheel mountedon a caraxle, a friction-wheel adapted to con tact therewith, acrank-shaft upon which said last-mentioned wheel is mounted, movablebearings for said crank-shaft, the cranks at the extremity of the latterbeing turned at an angle to each other, a plurality of pistons suitablysupported, a reservoir, connections from the cylinders of said pistonsto said reservoir and other connections common to the latter and to saidmovable bearings, whereby any varia-' tion of the pressure in saidreservoir will cause a variation of the frictional contact between saidwheels.

6. The combination of a reservoir, acylinder having ports on eitherextremity thereof, valves controlling said ports, one of said Valvesbeing actuated by an increase of pressure in said reservoir and theother of said valves communicating with and being actuated by reason ofthe pressure derived from the air-compressor, a piston in said cylinder,apiston-rod attached to said piston, levers suitably fulcrumed, linkscommon to said levers and piston-rod, afriction-wheel mount ed uponacrank-shaft, the latter having movable bearings, said bearings beingactuated by said levers, asecond wheel mounted upon a car-axle, andconnections from said firstmentioned or friction wheel to the cylindersof an ai r-compressor.

7. In a fluid-pressure brake, the combination of an air-compressor, atrain-pipe, a reservoir and a valve-casing, the latter having therein achamber 44 into which air is forced from said pump, a port 47 leadingfrom said chamber, a second chamber 45 with which said portcommunicates, a valve 49 controlling said port, a stem 52for said valve,a head 53 attached to said stem, a spring bearing upon said head, achamber 46 located in proximity to said chamber 44, a valve 51 for saidchamber, said stem 52 controlling the movement of said valve, aspring-actuated piston located below said valve 51, a chamber 60, inproximity to said chamber 45 and valves seating in opposite directionsand controlling ports common to the said chambers 45 and 60, and valve87 having ports communicating with the chambers 45 and 46, with thetrainpipe, with means for regulating the operation of the compressor,and with the atmosphere.

8. In a fluid-pressure brake, the combination of a reservoir,avalve-casing located at either end of the car for controlling thepressure in a brake-cylinder, a valve-plu g 87 having ports and passagestherein substantially as shown and described, a plurality ofaircompressors operated by frictional contact with a wheel mounted onthe car-axle, a valvecasing located in proximity to said air-compressor,and receiving compressed air therefrom, a plurality of chambers in saidlastmentioned valve-casing, and valves in said chambers adapted to seatin opposite directions, the said chambers in the last-mentionedvalve-casing communicating with the aircompressor, the ports of thecasing or valveplug 87, the means for regulating the air- .compressor,and the atmosphere.

9. In a fluid-pressure brake, a casing, con taining the chambers 44, 46,45 and 60, a pipe leading from an air-pump to the inlet-chamber 44,pipes leading from the chambers 46 and 45 to abrake-valve 69, areservoir, a pipe leading from the latter to said chamber 60, valvescommon to the chambers 45 and but seating in-opposite directions, acheck-valve loof pressure in the latter causes said pump to be operated,an inlet-chamber receiving compressed air from said pump, a valvedchamber communicating with said inlet-chamber and leading to abrake-valve, a pipe leading from another chamber communicating with saidvalved chamber to said reservoir, and connections common to saidbrake-valve and the brakes for actuating the latter.

11. En a fluid-pressure brake, a reservoir, an air-pump, means common tosaid pump and reservoir, for enabling any decrease of pressure in saidreservoir to operate said pump, an inlet-chamber receiving compressedair from said pump, a valved chamber communicating with saidinlet-chamber, and leading to a brake-valve, the latter consisting of asuitable casing having a plurality of ports therein, two of said portscommunicating with said valved chambers and a chamber adjacent to saidinlet-chamber, another port communicating with means for regulating theoperation of said air-pump, a plug in said valvecasing constructedsubstantially as described and having a port communicating with theatmosphere and a pipe leading from said valve-casing to abrake-cylinder.

12. A valve-casing for a fluid -pressure brake, having a chambercommunicating with an air-compressor, avalved chamber in communicationtherewith and with the brakevalve, a second valved chamber communicatingwith the first-mentioned chamber and with the brake-valve and with avalved chamber in communication with the reservoir, and valves betweenthe first-mentioned chamber and the two valved chambers communicatingtherewith, and controlled by the pressure within the second-mentionedvalved chamber.

13. A valvecasing for a fluid-pressure brake, having a chambercommunicating with an air-compressor, a valved chamber com municatingtherewith andwith the brake-valve, a second valved chamber communicatingwith the first-mentioned chamber and with the brake-valve and with avalved chamber communicating with a reservoir, two ports between saidsecond valved chamber and the valved chamber communicating with thereservoir, said ports being controlled by oppositely-opening valves andthe said valve opening into the second valved chamber being u nder thecontrol of and closed by a resilient cushion and valves between thefirst-mentioned chamber and the two valved chambers communicatingtherewith, controlled by the pressure within the second-mentionedvalvedchamber.

14:. A valve casing for a fluid pressure brake, having a chambercommunicating with an air-compressor, a valved chamber communicatingtherewith and with the brake-valve, a second valved chambercommunicating with the first-mentioned chamber and with the brake-valveand with a valved chamber communicating with a compressed-air reservoir,and valves between the first-mentioned chamber and the two valvedchambers communicating therewith, the valve of the second valved chamberbeing closed by fluid-pressure therein and opened by spring-pressure andcontrolling the opening and closing of the valve of the first-mentionedvalved chamber.

15. In a fluidpressure brake, a frictionwheel mounted on the runningearof the car, a friction -wheel 3 adapted to contact therewith, acrank-shaft upon which the lat ter wheel is mounted, shifting bearingsfor said crank-shaft, a piston-cylinder and piston, a reservoir, aconnecting-pipe and valve mechanism intermediate of said reservoir andpiston-cylinder, means for moving said wheel 3 into contact with theadjacent wheel by fluid-pressure derived from said reservoir, means formoving said wheel 3 away from the adjacent wheel by pressure deriveddirect from said compressor, and a connection be tween said piston andsaid shifting bearings.

HARRY O. MULLER.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. 0. WIEDERSHEIM.

